Review: Molecular bases of responses to abiotic stress in trees (J. Exp. Bot)
Plant Science Research WeeklyMuch of our understanding of abiotic stress response comes from studies on short-lived annual plants, for good reasons: they are small and easy to study, their short-generation time makes them amenable to genetic studies, and most of our food comes from annual plants. Trees are more difficult to study,…
Increasing risks of multiple breadbasket failure under 1.5 and 2 °C global warming (Ag Systems)
Plant Science Research WeeklyCrop yields are vulnerable to rising temperatures and changes in precipitation. Here, Gaupp et al. model the projected crop yields at 1.5 versus 2.0 degrees of additional warming, as part of the HAPPI experiment (perhaps a misnomer: Half a degree Additional warming, Prognosis and Projected Impacts).…
β-cyclocitral is a conserved root growth regulator (bioRxiv)
Plant Science Research WeeklyEnhancing root growth can aid plant survival in challenging environments such as salty soils. Dickinson et al. built upon a previous study that identified D15, an inhibitor of lateral root development. They treated roots with D15 and also components of a small-molecule library to search for suppressors…